UNIQLO Co., a leading Japanese clothing retail chain with over 700 stores in Japan and dozens overseas, collected its used products on a trial basis to promote recycling of clothes. The trial was conducted at all of its 30 stores in Hokkaido, northern Japan, from June 19 to July 2, 2006.

The company has been recycling its fleece wear since September 2001, collecting some 70,000 items a year. In this trial, the company expanded its recycling program to collect all of its own products from customers after they no longer needed them. The collected products are sorted at the company's warehouse into three categories: material to be recycled as insulation for cars or work gloves, to be converted into fuel for power generation, and to be reused as a part of assistance to developing countries.

Japan falls far behind other countries such as Germany in reusing textile products. UNIQLO plans to put an effort into regular nationwide recycling campaigns for its products.

http://www.uniqlo.com/us/company/index.html

Posted: 2006/11/23 02:46:37 PM
Japanese version

TAG Manufacturing industry , Material reduction